In the last few days I've done a few edits to the pages on my blog. Specifically I revamped the "Adventures" page with some of the awesome reviews I've got in the last few years. I have also updated the "OSR News" page to include a pile of blogs that I read and enjoy. I plan to put a bunch more up, as well as zines, podcasts, etc. And I added a page with links to "Old School Games"

As far as 3 Toadstools Publishing goes, this past year I didn't release a helluva a lot (other than the d100 tables). This year coming I plan to keep working on Crimhuck on the blog. Next up will probably be detailing the city of Yahelui (or however I spelt it). As far as an actual release, what I'd like to do is find some time to finish putting together the "greatest hits" of the blog, and all the adventures. I'd probably pull down all the old modules (maybe, or maybe leave em up? in case someone wants to re download something...suggestions). Anyhow, it would be titled "Tales From The Three Toadstools" and would pretty much cover everything. Now! Obviously people have paid for all of these things already, so I don't plan to gouge anyone in anyway. Basically it will be a free download pdf, and the option of grabbing an actual POD if you want. There are a few little things in the adventures that I would like to change, revise, etc. This happens. Other than that, time will tell.

Not exactly a "3 toadstools" thing, but currently working on a collaborative dungeon project with a bunch of friends. Which is super exciting. I hope to have it completed sooner rather than later, but we will see how it goes. Thus far all of the responses and room descriptions I've received have blown my head off.

Gaming Wise
Recently got a copy of Classic Traveller and I'm jonesing to grab a pen and a notepad and start creating characters and subsectors.

Hopefully get our mutant future game off the ground in January, or return to Morganvain.

As far as the 5e group, we are still in Mr. Strahds castle, the group meets about every 3 weeks, but we have taken a Holiday hiatus. I'm guessing we will get cooking again in the new year. In the back of my brain I'm planning a wuxia campaign for the future. That specifically I'm not going to go any farther than small map, 4 adventure locations. Too much over planning, who has time for that really?

Also I really want to play "Ticket To Ride" again, it was fun. Not an RPG, but fun nonetheless.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Things are starting to come together with my mutant future campaign. To the left is the almost done map for the players. I attempting some shading and a few other things in GIMP and it didn't quite work out. I just need to fill up a few locations names on it. It might be a bit to big for actual play. This is basically Manitoba, although a bit squished. The giant hole at the bottom of the page is where Winnipeg used to be. The forest to the east is the Whiteshell Provincial Park. The forest to the west is Riding Mountain Park (both of which I've been to a few times over the years). The two lakes are Lake Manitoba & Lake Winnipeg. The weird line coming from the hole that was Winnipeg is the red river. (which btw is basically brown). I plan to have a few settlements left after the big boom (or well re made settlements anyways) One of which will be Gimli which is going to be close to lake Winnipeg (lake to the east). The dotted lines are leftover highways. So that's what I got map wise so far.

After briefly flipping thru Broodmother Skyfortress (which is fucking awesome btw), I stumbled upon Jeff's campaign checklist (which is a bit more fantasy based, but works in this context with some tweaking).

So here's my slightly modified version of Jeff's checklist for my mutant future campaign. The nice thing about doing this is it confirms a few ideas in my head.

Religion: In the wastes there's not always a call for religion, however in my little campaign there will be two. One will be the whole "children of the bomb/atom" thing taken from Fallout 3 (I'll have to put a unexplored bomb somewhere). The second will come from Canadian Aboriginal teachings. While not technically a religion per se, it is a spirituality. It is also passed down thru generations thru oral stories. To learn more you can go here. In the game world it will be very based on treating the environment better.

Buying of standard equipment: Gimli is going to be the basic town for the adventurers to hang out in. Eventually it may get over run or blown right up. In the meantime if the players want to buy some sticks and stones, this will be the place to go. Random wasteland traders and scavengers will stop in town from time to time. Their inventory will be in a continual state of flux. The players may not always be able to buy a new spear, etc.

Finding Non standard equipment, ie "where can we get laser blasters": There won't be any kind of shop or boutique to buy future equipment. The players are going to have to beg, borrow or steal this stuff. There will be lots of military installations, etc that they can find these things. Getting them repaired though? that's a different story altogether. I think there will be a tech nerd out in the wilderness that repairs things for a fee. A rather substantial fee.

The overlord: This guy is a bad ass (think Neegan), not only is he rich, he's powerful. He has an army of mutated things to go out and do his bidding. He taxes the local areas, provides protection, etc. Basically big asshat.

Healing: I plan to have one hospital that is heavily guarded, the twist however is that the workers of the hospital are looking for pure strain humans. They can provide some types of healing, however at a cost. If they do find some patients that are pure strain, untouched by mutations, the patients become property of the alliance. The alliance is attempting to re create humans as they existed prior to the BIG BOOM.

Sages: Somewhere in the wastes there will be a group of tribal elders who are aware of the past, they will have some answers. I'm going to go with them having a library of books they saved, found, etc.

Mercs: There will be plenty of mercs, some within Gimli, some in other areas of the world. I may create one bigger city that is under the control of the Overlord.

Illegal weapons: I'm going to guess that carrying a laser pistol in the Overlords colony will be against the law. As well it will be confiscated pretty fast.

Drinking Establishments: Gimli, the tavern is going to be named something after the Nordic Roots of the town. (real life, check the Gimli link).

Terrorising Monsters: Hmm Brood Mother! As well I have to relook thru the MF baddies and see what else I can think of. This one I have to do more research to answer.

Wars: The last remnants of the RCMP (who are now basically raiders) will be fighting for control of the lands against the Overlord.

Gladiatorial Arenas: I hadn't quite thought of this, but it could make for a brutal part of the game. I may have to do this in a hockey arena in Gimli.

Secret Society's & Factions: As above there is the RCMP, The Overlord, The Pure Alliance, The Children of the Atom (or something), The Gimli Guard, Traders & Scavengers, The Mushroom Folk (Bunch of stoners who live in a huge hole in the ground that spend their lives getting high and growing shrooms, oblivious to the world above). Also a inadvertent plague happened creating zombies near Winnipeg. That's what I got so far.

Sustenance: Most of the mutant animals/plants will be based on actual Manitoba animals. So I'm guessing mutant bison steak will be at the top of the list of delicacies.

Treasure: There are a few military bases here currently, Shilo Base, Kapyong, I will also create a few N.O.R.A.D. bases for flavour and extras.

Friday, December 23, 2016

Alright here yah go! The brief adventure I wrote up the other day I managed to convert into a full fledged adventure using my world Crimhuck (which is in a slow progress of world building). Go and ahead and download it if you like!

Anyways here goes.Plague of sorrow (is the name I came up with). Adventure Premise:

The PCs are met by a large comely woman in a tavern. She tells them that if they can safely get a magical ring to her employer deep in the sewers they will be rewarded with precious gems. The sewers beneath the city are a very dangerous place. Her employer is a sage who lives underground and does strange experiments far from prying eyes. Unbeknown to the players there is a gang of thieves hot on the trail of the players. Turns out the ring was stolen from the gang, who had previously stolen it from some one else. During the conversation in the tavern, a local soldier overhears everything and quickly sends word to his superior that the players have a powerful ring that may have once belonged to a king, but hasn't been seen in years. It is a race against time to find the sage in the underground. Hot on the trail of the players are 2 groups. A gang of thieves and a group of soldiers. Every time the players get into a new room in the sewers roll 1d8. If a roll of 1 comes up the thieves have tracked them down. If a roll of 2 comes up the soldiers have tracked them down. There are 6 thieves, AC 7 HD 1 Dmg 1d6 short sword/short bowAnd 6 soldiers AC 7 HD 1 Dmg 1d6 short sword/short bowRandom Encounters 1d41. Acolyte2. Gnome 3. Dwarf 4. Goblin

1. Entrance

2. Monster encounter

3. As soon as the PCs enter this room it fills with thick black smoke.

4. This room contains 1d6 goblins. AC 6 HD 1-1 dmg 1d4 daggers.

5. Empty

6. This room has 6 adventures carved out of stone in action poses.

7. There is a acoltye in this room studying by candle light. A treasure chest contains 100 GPs, a ring of weakness, and 1 magic missile scroll. AC 2 HD1 dmg mace 1d6

8. There are 4 Acoltyes in this room tending to a herb garden. (they are cult followers of the sage). AC 2 HD1 dmg mace 1d6

9. This room is empty, except a rather strange looking rubber chicken that seems quite out of place in a fantasy world.

10. there is a pile of rubble 20 feet deep leading up to the room, one of the walls must have collapsed over the years. (the room is empty).

11. The door to this room is ajar. The room is filled with cobwebs. If a search is made a Brass orcus head belt buckle (worth 25 GP) will be found amongst the rubble.

12. There is a 10 foot tall pole in the the centre of this room, it looks to be made out of marble, and is multi coloured. (if anyone touches the pole, any of the coins they are carrying will turn into glass marbles for 24 hours).

13. (sages room) This room is filled with large bookcases, tables filled with weird bubbling apparatus, skulls in jars. A few scrubby looking children tend to very large plants, one of them is in the corner roasting something over a fire pit.

The sage has brought the hero's here as part of a sinister test. He had heard of there previous adventures, and wanted to test their metal in his sewers filled with traps. He is a very evil man, and he treats his slaves terribly. The sage will tell the players that if they want the jewels they will have to complete another much more terrible quest for him, he will however double what they were originally supposed to receive. The ring they were sent to bring him is entirely worthless and non magical.

14. Upon entering this room one of the players will hear another player whispering insulting things about them to another player. This will randomly continue with different players hearing things as long as they stay in the room.

15. When the players enter this room they will hear the chattering squeaks of a swarm of rats behind them. (However it's entirely up to you if they just hear it or there are actual rats!). There are 4 Cobra snakes in this room. AC 7 HD 2 Dmg 1-3 plus poison. (save vs poison or be blinded)

16. This room looks like it recently had a huge fire, there is rubble lying around every where, half burnt books, an old chest (locked, contains 50 SPs). Amongst the rubble is a what appears to be a spell book, the cover of which has an outline of a skeleton in gold. Written upon it is the name of a long dead demi god. (it contains 3 - 1st level spells).

17. There are 1d6 Gnomes in this room, they appear to be under a hallucinatory spell. (Dispel magic should cure atleast one of them). AC 5 HD 1dmg 1d4 dagger

18. There is a warrior named "Arah-kyl" who has made camp in this room. He is extremely naive and believes that he is one of the best fighters in the world. He is actually just extremely lost. While speaking with Arah-kyl the PC's will here a Horn blast echoes off in the distance

19. empty

20. Weird glowing spheres rotate and float randomly around the room.

21. burnt torch and the body of a young child clothed in rags.

22. This room is covered in spider webs, something shiney glints off the torch light.

23. Both doors to this room are locked.

24. When the PCs enter this room they will hear a young girl screaming behind them. She is running down the hallway the PCs just came from. She is an escaped slave, dressed in rags. She needs the players help to get out of the dungeon!

I will put up a better stated out version of this as a pdf download via google drive later tonight. or tomorrow sometime. BTW the map is licensed under CC.

Another week and another OSR class, this time +Ivan Sorensen suggested a "infiltrator" class. Since I grew up with the 2nd edition of the world's most popular role playing game I decided to try my hand at making a class specifically for that. I even went so far as to attempt to hock the layout of the PHB as best I could.

Yesterday I spent a bit of time working on a "Mutant Manitoba Map", I printed off a hex graph paper from printfreegraphpaper.com the only issue is that When I went to start doing some editing in gimp my scanner for whatever reason didn't scan correctly and I could not for the life of me line up a pdf layer of the hex map and the scan. So today I'm going to just re draw the darn thing.

As you can see it doesn't quite line up. I think what I'm going to do is trace it with a regular piece of paper and then re scan and toss the hex in the back ground. I've had this same problem with regular square graph paper.

Interesting note, when I use my work scanner it seems to be a bit better, my home one also adds some odd purple colour to it.

I am hoping this post isn't too disjointed, I'm currently watching "Conspiracies" a British TV show about well just that.

I also have all my wrapping done, basically ready for Christmas. And still have a pile of day's off, so I'll keep working on the map and maybe do something else fun! I haven't written an adventure in a while and I'm curious about writing for Swords & Wizardry Light.

Friday, December 16, 2016

I've been dying to play this module. I have the pdf somewhere at home and I've read it countless times. What is prompting this blog is that Mr. Tenkar is giving away this module today. check out his post.

For the last little while I've been slowly planning a 5e campaign, specifically a wuxia inspired campaign.BUT SHANE! You are always planning campaigns. ME: Yes I know this, but a guy needs to keep busy.

Anyways, I've looked thru some of the oriental series modules and none of them have really caught my attention. Well other than Oriental Adventures (which I plan to keep handy).

The premise that I've had so far its similar enough to L1 to just basically use it with a few tweaks. First off this will be for my 5e group, and I like to trim the classes and races down to the basics, but also include the monk (cause it just screams shaolin!)

Paladins will be semi samurais, devoted to the Emperor. While the emperor may not play a part in the grand scheme of things as far as this adventure goes, I plan to have him be the new one, and that the previous one died a untimely death.

Of course rogues will be ninjas, Wizards will be wu jen. yadda.

Re skinning this shouldn't take a super long time to do. It'll be very 1st level kind of stuff. I'll just have to figure out the appropriate monsters to use as replacements.

Just looking at the map surrounding restenford (which I should probably come up with some kind of oriental name for), there's a lot going on! And the other cool thing is that the setting is in the Lendore isles, which to a degree can emulate Japan. (hey its fantasy right!)

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Feel like writing a new class, so let's have some fun with it and make it a little competition, if anyone is game?

The task will be to write a class for an OSR game, I;m going to suggest Labyrinth Lord or Swords&Wizardry since most everybody will have access to at least one of those, your call of which to use.

The class must follow a common theme, and we will have until Wednesday to write it.

Sound fun? It can be as involved or quick as you like, go minimalist or go all out.

If you're down, the theme will be "werewolf hunter" (because I was just thinking about the movie Dog Soldiers).

Don't post your class until Wednesday, then we'll post them all at the same time and people can comment, suggest and whatnot.Then someone else can pick the next theme and we'll go ahead :)

I decided to give it a go by creating a S&W Class. Since I'd never really created a S&W class before I enlisted +James Spahn who's friggin awesome at it! After a few messages back and forth we got it pretty well nailed. Which has spawned me to work on a few more. (BTW If you don't know James has created a pile of classes.)

I've come to the conclusion that creating classes is a fun little hobby, but rather than just create a generic class (as it's all been done before and a lot better than what I can come up with!) I think creating a interesting backstory & possible organization behind the class is a fun way to go about it.

I recently joined a fun new community on Google Plus called "FREE OSR RPG SHIT". The gist of which is "FREE" and when you post you need to add SHIT to whatever your posting. For example I posted a link to a bunch of my maps with "Here's some free shitty maps!".

There has been a pile of awesome posts already. I like the community because A. It's free B. It promotes creativity, and C. I'm finding some awesome new stuff I didn't know about. For example

It's a cool dungeon generator which I'm going to use later this week. I have this map I drew up awhile ago that's begging for some monsters and stuff. With all of the talk lately about S&W I think I might give it a go on this adventure. It'll be a download on this page.

Monday, December 12, 2016

I was thinking last night, rather than sleeping (which seems to be the case on Sunday nights for me).

What constitutes a mega dungeon as far as the amount of rooms?

Is there such a yard stick to measure this?

I'm slowly starting to get back in the correct frame of mind to finish my damned dungeon. As it stands I believe I had 11 maps x 18 rooms a pop. Which would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 198 rooms maybe. There were a few underground cities that had less rooms (houses).

Obviously "Maze Of The Blue Medusa" has set the bar ridiculously high as far as room count goes. I believe it clocks in at 300. Which honestly makes my brain hurt. For the simple sake that I was having trouble with 198 rooms.

Friday, December 9, 2016

Not gaming till the New year at this point, with Christmas coming up it becomes quite difficult to get anything done, or get together for that matter. It's also currently 4 pm on a friday and I'm mildly bored, as well as it's our work Christmas party tonight. Every year around this time I just slow down and get in vaycay mood way too soon. I have a week left, and I'm sure it's going to be quiet and then I'm off for a week. I'm hoping to get out and finish up my shopping this weekend. one of my nephews maybe getting the 5e starter set, or Naruto comic book situation (leaning towards an RPG obviously). The starter set is reasonably well written for a 16 year old to grasp I think.

I'm guessing that the week of vaycay you'll see a daily output from me on RPG related things, as I'll be home alone with not a lot to do, other than have some eggnog.

I need to start working on a "best of 2016" post, which I'll be doing shortly.

I'm also kicking around piles of ideas, and I need to spend that week really focusing on something and actually getting shit done!

*note: That may not be a published situation so much as some home game stuff.
In the new year I'm thinking that I'd like to try and start doing a weekly review on an awesome OSR product. As well I'd like to continue with the random interviews I've been doing, as they are a lot of fun to put together. If you or anyone you know would be a good candidate you can hit me up on G+ right here.

I should also start working on an actual new years resolution list. Last year I created one in i google drive and found it very handy to refer to. In most cases I did what I set out to do, in some cases not so much, but that's the way those lists go right? right.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Please note, obviously this is a house rules document! If you plan to do anything with this other than use it at your table, you must follow all OGL guidelines. And I'm officially trademarking MUTANT MURDERHOBOs, well as much as one can trademark something on the internet. I like the ring of it. So if you want to use this half cocked idea for something go right ahead, give credit where credit is due, etc. And use something else for the title if at all possible :P

So here's what I got so far, I'm trying to make this mildly friendly for my players. There are used to basicfantasy with a few extra bits from 5e thrown in for good measure. Just creating this to level 10 only.

IF A PLAYER ACTS AGAINST THEIR ALIGNMENT THEY MAY SUFFER A TEMPORARY DEDUCTION TO THEIR CHARISMA SCORE.

Saving throw: Just one, its easier for my brain.

LEVEL

SAVING THROW

1

17

2

16

3

15

4

14

5

13

6

12

7

11

8

10

9

9

10

8

ABILITY CHECKS

Ability checks are based on target numbers, that become increasingly easier as you get more experienced. In some case you may have advantage or disadvantage on the roll. Roll over number to succeed. Add appropriate modifier to roll.

*NOTE When attempting to figure out technology add intelligence modifier

If the party is outnumbered all attack rolls are at disadvantage, if the party out numbers the monsters the party rolls at advantage.

*note: cuz its going to be hillarious when they get surrounded by mutant flies.

MIND ATTACK

*note: rather than using the mind attack table in mf, I decided to go with this genius idea of +Norbert G. Matausch

To use a mind attack ability (any mutation that uses your mind), the following is the process. Compare your willpower score to the monsters. If the monsters is higher, you need to roll at disadvantage, if your willpower is higher you roll at advantage. On 2d20s you need to roll higher than the monsters. Add WILLPOWER MODIFIER TO ATTACK ROLL.

*note I may either use the MF level chart XP values, or Basicfantasy fighter, or I may use the 5e table, while I dislike the fact that you can level up quickly in 5e, I'm considering using it for this because It will move along a bit quicker.

DEATH & DYING: When a player’s hitpoints become negative their constitution score they are dying. The player must roll d20 saving throws, 1 success counts as 2. 3 failures you die. If they succeed they are stable at 1 hit point.

Success: _ _ _

Failures: _ _ _

RESTING

Upon a short or long rest and player receives 1d6 hit points + their CON modifier.

Inspiration - you get it for roleplaying your character well. You can use it to re-roll any dice once.

Monsters and ish - so all the monsters will have ascending ac whole thing starts at 10, so if there's a negative number in the book I'll just add that to 20. ie some green slimey dude with crazy mutant powers who has a AC of -3 becomes 23. Monsters get attack bonues as per level of HD. a 4 HD monster attacks with a +4 to hit and damage.

Mutant Future ™ is
copyright 2007-2011, Daniel Proctor. Mutant Future ™ are trademarks of Daniel Proctor. These trademarks are used under the Mutant Future ™ Trademark License 1.2, available at www.goblinoidgames.com. The
Mutant Murderhobo is a hack that is somewhat compatible with Mutant Future ™. 3 Toadstools
publishing is not affiliated with Daniel Proctor, Goblinoid Games Copyright
2006 – 2009. (Font, layout, style of artwork). Are reserved as Product
Identity.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

OSR stuff doesn't have to see the light of day as long as you & your players love it then consider it a win.﻿

Honestly this struck me like a big assed truck.

Not everything I write needs to be publishable, or for a certain audience. What needs to happen is that I need to write for the games that I play. If there is something that is useable for a wider audience then it will obviously get posted on this blog. (along with all general ramblings, as usual).

Eric was talking about DYI, and about working on his own set of rules. DYI means basically borrowing all the great bits from every retro clone, table, game system that works specifically for HIS campaign and play style. And of course this isn't a publishable thing (see above paragraph), nor should it be. It's a house document.

As you know I've been slowly working on a mutant future campaign. I've read and re-read the rules and am quite familiar with them. I've come to the conclusion that my old school players like ascending ac and DC challenges. I had initially planned on playing the game exactly by the book. For the most part to see if I could do it.

The one thing that stood out for me was the whole mental attack, and how to go about it properly. I had another good conversation with +Norbert G. Matausch and he gave me some killer ideas on how to make it a bit more d20, borrowing the 5e adv/disadvantage mechanic. WOO!

So as usual, I'm slowly coming up with some ideas, I'm going to create myself a stripped down d20 version of mutant future which will be a house rules only document that should make playing the game a bit easier for my players. Thus far I've got most of it figured out, by borrowing a bit of ideas from Swords & Wizardry, among other things. Oh and instead of using the mutations in the book, I'm just going to go ahead and borrow +Dyson Logos ones, from Mutant Omega.

I've got starting weapons, I'm working on a d12 or d20 table for backgrounds, somewhat borrowed from the 5e outlander background. Yonder Dyson mutations, and now it'll be a matter of creating a bs monster listing with ascending acs, and will's. To which I may just randomly roll for wills at the table. Should be fun!

Oh and cuz I can, I'm going to create this document with a bunch of facking awesome +JEStockArt stuff.

d20 will mechanic discussion
this from a private g plus chat.

Moi:+Norbert G. Matausch
the way it is written in the rules is there is a table to look up. So i
find the will that I have and then look up target number. To a degree
it is somewhat like the descending armour class chart. I like the
disadvantage idea. hmm. I'd need a example though. So that my brain
could absorb it properly.As mutant future doesn't actually give
will for creatures it is left up to the mutant lord. my thought is the
following. (using ascending AC chart).Look up monsters will, players will doesn't factor into it other than modifer for their own will.

Monster
will is 13. So player needs to roll a 13 or above with a modifier on a
20. and vice versa for monster. their hit dice don't enter into it,
everyone is on a level playing field. Same with PCs. they don't get a
mind attack bonus as they level, other than possibly adjusting their
will score.﻿

Norbert: The advantage/disadvantage system focuses on your character, puts him in the spotlight, if you will.

So
let's say, player will is 14, monster will is 13. Player has to roll on
or under his will to be successful, and he gets advantage.

If
his will is lower than our equal to the monster's, he must roll on or
under his will to be successful, but at a disadvantage. ﻿Moi: K your way is waaaay easier!﻿